Earring clasp



L. FEINGOLD EARRING CLASP July 30, 1946.

Fild Jan. 29, 1944 INVENTQR. 99a ATToR/vsv Patented July 30, 1946 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE EARRING CLASP Lpa Feingold, New York, N. Y.

Application January 29, 1944, Serial No. 520,244

4 Claims. l

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in an ear ringclasp.

More particularly, the invention contemplates an improved ear ring claspmade from plastic or sheet metal and which is characterized by aharp-like resilient member for engaging against one side of the ear lobeand having its side arms directed downwards. It is proposed to providean ornamental member for engaging against the other side of said earlobe, and it is proposed that said ornamental member have a stem with adisc-like end axially pivotally mounted between the side arms of saidharp-shaped member. The invention contemplates the provision of a leafspring portion continuing from the central portion of said harp-likemember and having ratchet teeth engaging complementary ratchet teeth onthe edge of said disc-like end for holding the clasp closed on ones ear.

The invention also proposes a modified form in which a rigid slide ismovable to various positions along said leaf spring portion for limitingflexing thereof.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an ear ring clasp constructed inaccordance with this invention and shown schematically applied to anear.

Fig, 2 is a side elevational view looking in the direction of the line 22 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on theline 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating amodified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on theline 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6 5 of Fig. 4.

In the form of the invention disclosed in Figs. l-3 the ear ring claspincludes a harp-like resilient member It preferably formed from sheetmetal and formed at the top of its inner side with a crescent shapeplastic contact plate |08. This member is adapted to engage against oneside of an ear lobe, schematically illustrated in Fig. l by dot and dashlines II. Said harp-like member IIJ has side arms I2 which are formedinto lug portions I3. An ornamental member I5 is provided for engagingthe other side of said ear lobe indicated by said lines II. Thisornamental member I5 has a jewel I5 or other ornamental piece mounted onits front face. The ornamental member I5 is also providedwith a backstem I1 having a disc-like end I8 axially pivotally mounted between thelugs I3 with a pintle rivet I9.

A leaf spring portion 20 extends from the central portion of thematerial of the harp-like member I0. This leaf spring portion isprovided with-several ratchet teeth 2| engaging compl..- mentary ratchetteeth 22 formed on the edge of said disc-like end I8. The extremity 23of the leaf spring portion 20 extends past the disclike end I8 so thatit may be easily gripped by one fingers and flexed outwards, asindicated by the dot and dash lines 25' in Fig. 1. In this flexedposition the ratchet teeth 2I disengage from the teeth 22 so that theornamental member I5 is free and may pivot downwards free from the earlobe II, as indicated by the dot and dash lines I5.

The operation of the clasp consists in placing it against the ear lobeso that the harp-like member ID is to the back of the ear lobe and theornamental member I5 is to the front. These members are pressed togetherso that the clasp maintains itself on the ear lobe. The clasp may beremoved by lifting up the end 23 of the leaf spring portion 20 so thatthe ornamental member I5 is released.

In Figs. 4 6 a modified form of the invention is disclosed which is verysimilar to the first form, distinguishing merely in the fact that arigid slide 25 is movably mounted and may be moved to various positionsalong the length of said leaf spring 2li for limiting the flexing ofsaid leaf spring. More specifically, the slide 25 is formed from twoadjacent strips 26 and 21 which are secured together at several pointsby spot welds 2t or cement. These strips 26 and 2'! engage oppositefaces of the leaf spring 20 so as to be movable along the length of theleaf spring. The ends of the strips 26 and 21 engage opposite faces ofthe side arms of the harp-like resilient member It. One of the faces ofsaid side arms is formed with serrations 2S engaged by complementaryserrations 30 upon the ends cf the strip 25.

In other respects this form of the invention is similar to thatpreviously shown and same reference numerals identify like parts in eachof the several views.

The rigid slide 25 may be shifted along the length of the leaf springportion 20 and will be held in various positions by the serrations 29and 3d. In different positions, the slide 25 holds different lengths ofthe leaf spring 2U rigidly, so that it may not flex as easily.Consequently, if the slide 25 is nearer the base of the leaf spring 2i!the free portion has greater flexibility than if the slide 25 is movedto a position nearer the free end thereof. 25 determines the extent ofthe holding action between the serrations 2| and 22.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdened in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An ear ring clasp, comprising a harp-like resilient member forengaging against one side of ones ear lobe and having its side armsdirected downwards, an ornamental member for engaging against the otherside of said ear-lobe and having a stern with a disc-like end axiallypivotally mounted between the side arms of said harp-like member, and aleaf spring portion extending from the central portion of said harplikemember and having ratchet teeth engaging complementary ratchet teeth onthe edge of said disc-like end, the free end of said leaf spring portionextending past said disc-like end so that it may be easily gripped andlifted.

2. An ear ring clasp, comprising a harp-like resilient member forengaging against one side of ones ear lobe and having its side armsdirected downwards, an ornamental member for s engaging against theother side of said ear-lobe and having a stem with a disc-like endaxially pivotally mounted between the side arms of said harp-likemember, and a leaf spring portion extending from the central portion ofsaid harplike member, having ratchet teeth engaging com- The position ofthe rigid slide plementaiy ratchet teeth on the edge of said disc-likeend, and a rigid slide movable to various positions along said leafspring portion for limiting flexing thereof.

3. An ear ring clasp, comprising a harp-like resilient member forengaging against one side of ones ear lobe and having its side armsdirected downwards, an ornamental member for engaging against the otherside of said ear-lobe and having a, stem with a disc-like end axiallypivotally mounted between the side arms of said harp-like member, and aleaf spring portion extending from the central portion of said harp-likemember, having ratchet teeth engaging complemen- 5 tary ratchet teeth onthe edge of said disc-like end, and a rigid slide movable to variouspositions along said leaf spring portion for limiting flexing thereof,comprising a pair of adjacent strips secured together at several pointsand slidably engaging opposite sides of said leaf spring portion, theends of said strips engaging opposite faces of the side arms of saidharp-like member.

4. An ear ring clasp, comprising a harp-like resilient member forengaging against one side of ones ear lobe and having its side armsdirected downwards, an ornamental member for engaging against the otherside of said earlobe and having a stem with a disc-like end axiallypivotally mounted between the side arms of said harp-like member, and aleaf spring portion extending from the central portion of said harp-likemember, having ratchet teeth engaging complementary ratchet teeth on theedge of sair disc-like end, and a rigid slide movable to variouspositions along said leaf spring portion for limiting flexing thereof,comprising a pair of adjacent strips secured together at several pointsand slidably engaging opposite sides of said leaf spring portion, theends of said strips engaging opposite faces of the side arms of saidharplike member, and serrations on one of said strips engagingcomplementary serrations upon said harp-like member.

LIPA FEINGOLD.

